New Delhi: A tragic case reached its conclusion as a husband was sentenced to life for the murder of former councillor Geeta Sagar in Ghaziabad. On Monday, the additional sessions court found her husband Lokesh guilty of murder and dowry harassment. The ruling came nearly five years after Geeta’s death at their Vijay Nagar home. The court also imposed a fine of ₹26,000.
Geeta died on December 1, 2020. Doctors confirmed she was strangled, not suicidal. This autopsy finding shifted the investigation. Lokesh was then charged under IPC sections 302 and 498A.
Her father, Tansukh, filed the initial complaint. He said that after Geeta’s marriage on April 28, 2009, Lokesh and his family kept demanding dowry. Despite a wedding with gifts worth ₹7.5 lakh cash, jewelry, a car, and household items, the harassment never stopped. Geeta faced cruelty for years, forcing her father to seek police help multiple times.
During the trial, the prosecution relied on testimony from Dr. Vikas Kahra. He confirmed that Geeta’s hyoid bone had broken, and the marks on her neck matched strangulation. The defense argued the bone could break during hanging. The court rejected this claim, citing Supreme Court rulings that link such injuries to murder.
The judges also applied Section 106 of the Indian Evidence Act. Since Geeta and Lokesh were alone, Lokesh had to explain her death. He failed to do so.
Their son also testified. He said Geeta locked herself in a room, but the court doubted his account. At only eight years old at the time, and living with grandparents since, his memory was unreliable.
Judge Dinesh Chandra Shukla ruled that Lokesh tortured Geeta for years over dowry. He held Lokesh responsible for her murder and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
This case highlights the wider problem of dowry violence in India. NCRB data from 2020 shows Punjab among the states with the highest dowry deaths. IPC Section 498A addresses harassment, while Section 306 tackles abetment of suicide. Yet, cases like Geeta’s show the need for stricter enforcement and more public awareness.
The story of Geeta Sagar is both personal and universal. It reflects the suffering many women still face due to dowry demands. It also calls for urgent reforms, stronger community support, and education against domestic violence. In the end, the judgment of a husband sentenced to life for the murder underscores the need for justice and protection of women.
